The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1887-03-03

4 Gong home, madam
No masm
1 Going South. them
! | don't know, ma'am
Why. there are only t~o ways TO go.
didn't know. was never on the cars,
Tn waiting for the train 10 so to John.
Johnq There is no town called John.
Where is IN
oh, Johns my sou, He's ont in Kansas,
on claim.
I'm going right to Kansas myself You
intend TO visit9
No. ma'am,
She said II with . sigh so heart bnr-
dened the stranger was touched.
John sick'
No.
The evasiye tone, tho look oil pain on
the furrowed face we're noticed by tho sty
lish lady as the gray head bowed upon
the toll marked hand. She wanted TO
hear her story to help her.
Excuse me- John is In trouble2
No, no; I'm in trouble. Trouble my
old heart never thought 10 see.
The train does not come for some time
Here, rest your bead on my cloak
You are very kind. II my own we're so
/ shouldn't be in trouble tonight.
What is your trouble? Maybe | can help
you
rs hard to tell it to strangers, but my
old heart is too full to keep it back. When
l was left widow with three children, l
thought il was more than ! could bear
but It was not as bad a. this
The stranger waited til she recovered
her voice to go on.
] had only the cottage aud my willing
hands. l toiled early and late all the
yeurs till John could help me Then we
kept the girls at school. John and l. They
married rich, as the world goes. John
sold the cottage. sent me TO the city to
live with them, and he went West to be-
gin for himself. He said we had provid-
ed for the girls, and they would provide
Tor me now
Her voice choked with emotion. The
stranger waited in silence
Invent to them in the city. | went TO
Mary's first. She lived in great house
with servants to wait on her--a house
many times larger than the little cottage;
but soon found there was not room
enough Tor me =
The tears stood iu the lines on her
cheeks. The ticket agent came out softly,
stirred the fire, and went back. After a
pause she continued.
went 10 Marthas went with pain IN
nv heart ! n, yer felt before was vii
liug to do anything so as not to be a bur
den. But that wasn't il. ] found they
were ashamed OF my rough, wriokled
hands, made so toiling for them -
The tears came thick and fast. The
hand rested caressingly on the
gray head
At last they told me | must live at q
boarding house, aud they'd keep me there.
I couldn't say anything back; my heart
was too full OF pain. ! wrote to John
what they we're going to do. He wrote
right back, long, kind letter for me to
come right to him. always had q home
while he had u roof, he said. To come
light there aud stay as long as | lived
II - his mother should never go out to
slleaa-r 81 Im going to John He's
got only hs great. warm heart, but there
is room for bis poor old mother, God bless
him
The stranger brushed tear from her
fair check, and waited the conclusion
S me day when am gone where ] shall
never tronble them again, Mary and Mar
lba will think OF it all Some day when
the hands that ieiIed for them are folded |
aud siill; when the eyes that watched oy-
nr them through many weary uipt are
iosed forever. when the little old body, |
at uith The burdens it bore for them
Dat swDy where it can never shame
IL ~
- agent drew his band quickly before
lis ,s. aud vent ont az il to look for The
rain. The strangers jsweled iiueors
,trokei the gray locks. while tbs tears Of
sorrow and the tears Of sympathy fell
o,f'her The weary heart was nnbur
iened Soothed by touch OF sympathy,
he troubled soul yielded TO a longing for
-csi and fell asleep. The agent went
loiselsssly about bis duties that he might
rot wake her Az the fair stranger watch
ID, she saw q smile on the cAre-worn face
The lips moved She bent 10 bear
In doing it ( r Mary aud Martha.
y eke rare { me sometime
> r pss drepnisg of the days 10 the
title cottage. Of Tho fonds hopes that 10
!, irrd her long b lore ahs learned, with
10, kap ba.tt ti to,ae lag aha W0nld